| The Calhoun buck kill during the 2011 fall season, according to WV-DNR, showed a greater number that the 2010 season, but continues to fall short from previous years.
The 2011 kill was 984, with this years season complicated by foggy days, rainy, flooding and some warm temperature days.
Calhoun Buck Kill:
1163 (2007);
1252 (2008);
1124 (2009);
570 (2010);
984 (2011).
West Virginia's buck harvest statistics for 2007-2011
Preliminary data collected from game checking stations across the state indicate deer hunters in West Virginia harvested 59,835 bucks during the two-week buck firearms season, which ran from November 21 through December 3.
The 2011 buck harvest was 38 percent more than the 2010 harvest of 43,461.
The top 10 counties for buck harvest were as follows: Preston (2,162), Randolph (2,039), Jackson (1,960), Mason (1,931), Greenbrier (1,803), Roane (1,743), Wood (1,703), Hampshire (1,661), Upshur (1,596) and Hardy (1,574).
This year's preliminary buck harvest remains 3 percent below the previous five-year average of 61,428.
Wildlife biologists and wildlife managers collected age-specific biological information at checking stations in 12 counties this year. Preliminary analysis indicates antler development was good and many hunters harvested older-aged bucks.
Other contributing factors such as the exceptional acorn crop in the fall of 2010 and deer densities more in balance with the habitat in many areas combined to make this year's deer season successful for many hunters.
"White-tailed deer are a product of the environment," Frank Jezioro said. "Too many deer on a given tract of land will result in loss of body weight, reduction in antler development, decrease in reproduction and sometimes death due to starvation during winter months. Hunters and landowners must continually assess their expectations of the proper number of deer sightings versus the visible impacts deer have on vegetation.
Director Jezioro reminds hunters that the traditional six-day antlerless deer season in selected counties on both public and private land ends Saturday, December 10.
Muzzleloader deer season begins December 12 and runs through December 17. The Youth and Class Q/QQ antlerless deer season will be open on Monday and Tuesday, December 26 and 27 in any county with a firearms deer season, and will be followed by a four-day reopening of antlerless deer season (December 28 - 31) in 42 counties or portions of counties (see 2011 - 2012 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary or visit the DNR Web site at www.wvdnr.gov for county and area listings).
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